Firearm.



A. B. PRATT.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

v Inveniav: flrib art fiuPa wzi spa omen.

ALBERT B. PRATT, OF LYNDQN,-VEBMONT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 29, 1915. Serial No. races.

The character of the invention may be.

best understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodi ment thereof shown in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative firearm shown herein as embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the firearm showing it held by a marksman in position to be fired; and Fig. 3 is a view showingthe positions of the firearm before and after recoil. v

Referring to the drawing, the illustrative firearm shown therein as embodying the invention, comprises a barrel 1 and firing mechanism 3 of usual construction, mounted on a main stock 5. The small of the stock is formed to present a pistol grip 7 .having a substantial drop downward and an aperture or recess 9 the bottom of which may be substantially in line with the lower face of the stock. Said recess may be closed I by a frame piece 11 secured to the top of the small of the stock and to the butt-stock or shoulder iece 13.

Hereto ore, so far as I am aware, rlfles have been constructed with the upper edge of the butt-stock inclined from comb to heel down away from the axis aa of the barrel. One reason for making it this way is to provide a drop in the stock from the,

line of sight to the shoulder of the marksman and to furnish suflicient strength in the small of the stock to prevent the splitting thereof when the soldier brings the butt of the firearm sharply down on the command ground arms. There are serious objections to this construction, since in aiming, the butt-stock must be held close to the cheek of the marksman, and on recoil, its

upper edge which inclines up from the heel toward the comb, jabs or kicks back sharply again t his cheek and is likely t cause 1njury thereto. Also, the hand which grasps the small of the stock is likely to jab back w th the gun into the face. The fear of -1Il]lll'y from the recoil greatly interferes Patented July 18, 1916.

with the accuracy of shooting. Only a small per cent. of the militia qualify in their first attempts at target practice because of a natural mpulse to pull the rifle away from the cheek to avoid injury thereto from the recoll. In fact, it requires considerable practice before the 'marksman isable to overcome his instinctive fear of injury from the recoil. Also, it isbecoming more and more customary to ractice cheek as dis tmguished from sig t firing. .The former butt-stock of the gunvery closely against the cheek. and consequently there is a very strong hkelihood of injury thereto. 7

By my invention the butt-stock isformed to prevent such injury. To accomplish this the upper edge of the butt-stock instead of mclmmg from its comb 15 to its heel 17 away from the barrel axis, is inclined from comb tb heel toward said axis. When the mode makes necessary the holding of the I rifle is held in position for firing, the upper moves from its position illustrated'in full lines in Fig. 3, to its position shown in dotted lines therein. In so doing the upper edge of the butt-stock instead of jabbing into the check of the marksman drops back away from his cheek and prevents any possibility of injury thereto. As a result his \fear of injury from the kick of the rifle is eliminated and the accuracy of his shooting is very greatly increased.

The hand grip 7 preferably extends downward on a line substantially perpendicular with the axis of the barrel and presents a forward face of sufiicient extent to accommodate the fingers of the hand. The thumb recess 9 is located well downward from the axis of thebarrel at a point to receive the thumb so that the hand may assume a natural, comfortable position without likelihood of cramping the same. The thumb being substantially directlyback of the trigger, enables the latter to be pulled with i a desirable mechanical advantage and with a minimum effort. The hand grip and thumb hole as described, enable the gun to be grasped with a positive, eflicient control thereof, greatly facilitating the accurate aiming of the firearm. The recoil of the in a manner advantageously to resist the upward kicking of the muzzle on recoil.

The bottom of the thumb recess is'located well down beneath the comb of the buttstock so that the thumb of the marksman cannotinjure his face when his cheek is pressed against the top edge of the butt-' stock in aiming and firing the gun.

The frame piece 11 is gradually curved from the front end of the small of the stock to the comb and may serve not only to prevent splitting of the stock-butt from the small of the stock but also asa guard further to prevent the thumb or hand of the marksman from striking the face in case the kick is suflicient to thrust the'firearm back far enough. Preferably the butt-stock is made sufliciently long to prevent this. The frame piece being of metal provides a weight of material opposite to the piston grip which tends to desirably balance the same. The frame piece 11 is desirable where the firearm is to be used for military use to contribute to the strength of the connection of the butt of the-stock with the main stock, but'it is not indispensable in all uses. It might be omitted in sporting rifles.

Having described one illustrative embodiment of the invention without limiting the same thereto, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A firearm comprising a barrel, 2. main stock therefor, and a butt-stock to engage the shoulder of the marksman, having its comb substantially lower than said barrel to permit ready sighting of the firearm, and provided with a thumb recess beneath said comb, the portion of the butt-stock where engaged by the cheek of the marksman being inclined downward from the rear toward said recess away from the axis of the barrel, whereby recoil of the firearm carries both the thumb and the comb below and away from the cheek of the marksman and prevents injury thereto. 2. A firearm comprising a barrel 1, a main stock 5 therefor, a butt-stock to engage the shoulder of the marksman, having its comb 15 substantially lower than said barrel to.

permit ready sighting of the firearm, and provided with a thumb recess 9 beneath said comb, and-a strengthening member 11 bridging said recess, the portion of the buttstock where engaged by the cheek of the marksman being inclined downward from the rear toward said recess away from the axis of the barrel, whereby recoil of the firearm carries both the thumb and the comb below and away from the check of the marksman and prevents injury thereto.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT B. PRATT.

Witnesses:

LONA B. Rum, H. H. SMITH. 

